🎙️Episode 19 – Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass

On November 9th, 1938, the streets of Germany and Austria were filled with shattered glass. Synagogues burned, Jewish businesses were destroyed, and thousands of families were terrorized in a wave of state-sanctioned violence that shocked the world. What the Nazis called “spontaneous protest” was, in truth, a coordinated assault — one that marked a turning point from persecution to the path of genocide.

In this episode, we examine how Kristallnacht unfolded, the propaganda that fueled it, and the human cost of a night designed to send a chilling message to Jews across Europe. From the assassination of Ernst vom Rath to the arrests and destruction that followed, we trace the event’s lasting impact and why it is remembered as a warning of the horrors to come.

Inside this 60-minute episode:

• Life for Jews in Nazi Germany before Kristallnacht

• The assassination that sparked the violence

• A detailed account of the night of November 9–10, 1938

• The aftermath: arrests, fines, and forced emigration

• How Kristallnacht marked the road to the Holocaust

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you listen.

This episode covers Kristallnacht, Nazi propaganda, anti-Jewish legislation, the role of Ernst vom Rath, and the escalation of persecution that led directly to the Holocaust.

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